Recycling specialist McKenzies NI Ltd has announced a multi-million-pound investment in new equipment that the family-owned firm say will enable it to process scrap metal and produce a highly sought after range of recycled metals for export across the globe.
Based at Belfast and Larne ports, the company has significantly expanded in the past year, acquiring Campsie-based Peak Environmental in Co Derry, and opening a deep sea port in Waterford.
Company boss Sergio McKenzie Snr said the investment in new recycling equipment was backed by Bank of Ireland UK.
“Innovation and sustainability are key drivers of our business operation and ambition and we have made significant investment over the last 12 months in our operational bases to ensure we are located where our customers need us to be, helping to reduce the road miles they need to travel to transport their scrap metal,” he said.
“The introduction of the new recycling plant is game-changing for us and our customers as it will allow us to take scrap metal and process it into separate grades of metal producing a range of recycled metal products that are sought after both here and right across the globe.
“It will give us a strong competitive advantage locally as most metal recyclers export largely unprocessed material to producers in Europe, where we will be able to undertake metal processing and grading onsite and in turn provide a quick turnaround to global markets through our port side operational bases.
“A key enabler in our investment activity over the last 12 months has been the support received from Bank of Ireland UK. As well as their financial backing, Ciaran and the team have been on hand and ready to help us throughout each stage of our ambitious growth plans.”
Ciaran Lavery, senior business manager at Bank of Ireland UK said: “The team at McKenzies (NI), led by Sergio Snr, are committed to transforming traditional metal recycling processes across the region and are seizing opportunities for sustainable growth.
“We are delighted to see the company expand their operations and service range, and we are pleased to support them with their current and future development plans.”